Compare TV Plans: Streaming, Cable and On-Demand

Foxtel

The pioneer of pay TV in Australia, Foxtel delivers over 90 channels of entertainment, news and sports via cable and satellite. Both methods require installation at the customer’s premises if Foxtel hasn’t been connected there before.

Foxtel’s recently launched their live 4K programming alongside the new iQ4K box. You can automatically record your favourite shows to watch later with the exact same quality as if you were watching them live. Coupled with a broadband internet connection, the Foxtel iQ4K box also give you access to on-demand replays of recent shows, live sport and entire seasons. All included in the subscription cost. Plus, you get access to the Foxtel app, allowing you to watch content on demand anytime.

Foxtel Now

With Foxtel Now, everyone can stream the best choice of new shows, complete seasons, and live sport from around  the world. Choose your channels packs and watch instantly on your device. You can pick between Docos, Lifestyle, Kids, Drama, and Pop. Then, you can add Premium packs into the mix as well – Movies and Sport. There’s no complicated installation involved – you simply sign up and watch live over the internet, or binge content on demand anytime.

In November 2018, top content on Foxtel Now includes the long awaited new season of Outlander plus continuing new episodes of The Walking Dead, Ray Donovan, Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and many more.

Foxtel From Telstra

Two names – one awesome service. Foxtel from Telstra is exactly what the name says. It’s Foxtel in its full, home-installed form, but sold and billed by Telstra. Therefore, it’s only available to those who have an active Telstra service of some kind (a prepaid mobile service is perfectly fine). There are often extremely compelling deals available on Foxtel packages when you subscribe this way. Hence, it’s well worth checking out what’s on offer.

The packages are a bit different from Foxtel. You can choose between Entertainment, Entertainment plus Drama or Movies, Entertainment plus Sport, Entertainment plus Sport and Drama or Movies, and Platinum HD, which includes all channels. Subscribers also get access to the Foxtel app to stream content anytime. See what’s trending on Foxtel from Telstra.

Fetch TV

The relative newcomer to Pay TV in Australia has found itself a lot of fans. Its extremely capable hardware gives customers access not only to a range of general-interest pay TV channels (delivered via broadband streaming); but also the cream of on-demand video providers such as Stan and Netflix.

Continuing to garner attention in the world of Pay TV for its solid deals, Fetch TV’s larger boxes – available to buy outright or on plans – are also incredibly feature-packed hard-disk video recorders. They enable you to capture free-to-air programs to watch later and come with tons of features you’ll likely enjoy. If you have a fast broadband connection, Fetch is a worthy Foxtel alternative. The premium channel packs are only $6/month, or you can get them all for $20/month. Plus, Fetch also offers World TV packages and specialised sport packages, so you can customise your subscription so that it best matches your needs.

hayu

hayu is the perfect streaming service for reality TV fans. With over 3,000 episodes of the world’s most addictive shows, the platform caters to a very niche crowd. Some episodes arrive the same day as the US, so Keeping up with the Kardashians becomes a breeze. At $5.99/month, hayu is a bargain for true reality TV addicts.

Besides fresh episodes straight from the US, hayu hosts complete seasons of exciting series, allowing fans to binge from the start. You also get tons of other exclusive reality content like stories, quizzes, and popular clips you can share on social media. All in all, hayu is the undoubted home of reality TV. Top content on hayu includes shows from the Real Housewives franchise, Below Deck, Million Dollar Listing New York, Flipping Out, and more.

BigPond Movies

Looking for the latest blockbusters straight from the cinema? BigPond Movies offers a wide range of movies to buy or rent, from box-office hits to classic darlings. There are no ads or subscription fees to worry about. You simply watch what you want, when you want it. You can rent movies or buy movies & TV shows to watch again and again. Since there’s no subscription fee, you control what you spend and when you spend it.

Top releases on BigPond Movies for November 2018 include Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Ocean’s Eight, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. You can watch on your computer, mobile device, the new Telstra TV, or selected smart TV. New movies cost around $16 to buy and $6 to rent. As for TV shows, there are plenty to choose from – including Peaky Blinders, Suits, Brooklyn Nine Nine, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Stan

Stan has been significantly growing recently. Besides offering a generous catalogue of TV shows and movies, the service also fast-tracks several popular US TV shows, so you can watch the latest episodes as soon as they appear. You can get Stan for as low as $10/month in SD, $12/month in HD, and $15/month in Ultra HD. Whichever plan you choose, you get access to the platform’s entire library of content.

In November 2018, popular shows arriving on Stan include Escape at Dannemora, No Activity Season 2, The Bold Type, and the series finale of The Last Ship and The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair. Stan will also keep fast-tracking All American, Will & Grace, and Deutschland 86. You can watch Stan on a variety of devices – game consoles, smart TVs, and media streaming devices.

OzFlix

OzFlix is a unique streaming service – it only offers Australian movies. The platform is committed to making Aussie films easily accessible to both local and international audiences through the highest quality streaming technologies available. Not only that, but the team behind the project is hoping to eventually source “Every Aussie Movie. Ever.”

Another great thing about OzFlix is that, unlike other services, once a movie becomes available on the platform, it will never be deleted. Popular titles include Blue World Order, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dish, The Babadook, and more. The service also offers original content in the form of movie reviews, interviews, and fun facts. Instead of paying for a monthly subscription, you buy/rent the titles you want.

DocPlay

Are you a fan of documentaries? DocPlay is the perfect addition to your streaming catalogue. As the title suggests, the service only offers documentaries – from classics like Blowfish and Bowling for Columbine to more recent releases. Some docos are available for free every month, in SD, and with ads. However, to take advantage of everything DocPlay had to offer, you will need a subscription. It costs $6.95 a month, or $69.95 annually.

Docos are sorted in six different interest groups – Australian Stories, Art and Culture, Human Interest, Music, Science and Nature, and Sports. There is a strong presence of Australian documentaries, which is a plus. Popular titles include The September Issue, Searching for Sugar Man, The Cove, and Sherpa.

Netflix

If you know a bit about streaming services, you’re probably already familiar with this one. Netflix has been around the block for a while, which shows in their dedication to constantly improving the service. There is a ton of original content available – movies, TV shows, documentaries, and kids programmes. In November 2018, top shows arriving on Netflix include House of Cards season 6, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Good Place season 3, and Vikings season 5.

Netflix is available on a wide array of devices, from smartphones to streaming media gadgets. You can download shows for later to avoid burning through mobile data. There are three subscription plans, from $9.99 to $17.99. All in all, if Netflix’s original shows don’t win your over, the user-friendly interface and seamless streaming experience will.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime Video in Australia is making baby steps towards joining the big leagues. The service boasts a pretty small library of content, but it’s growing month by month. In December, The Grand Tour Season 3 will land on the streaming service – a great reason to give the platform a try. Another one? The incredibly affordable price. Get a 1-month free trial and only pay $4.99/month afterwards.

The service is especially worth it if you’re a fan of Amazon originals: Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Mozart in the Jungle, Sneaky Pete, The Man in the High Castle, Transparent, Bosch, I Love Dick, and more. Otherwise, the small content library won’t be enough to satisfy your binge cravings. Still, the price is right, so you might want to give it a go anyway.

iTunes

iTunes allows you to buy/rent titles – whether we’re talking about movies, shows, or music. You pay as you go and, thanks to iCloud, the content you buy appears on all your devices. With a huge library of content, there’s likely you’ll find something you fancy. iTunes is also home to Apple Music, with an enormous catalogue of 40 million songs, curated playlists, Beats 1 radio and more.

What makes iTunes great is the platform’s convenience for iPhone and iPad users. However, buying entire seasons of TV shows can get pricey. So if you’re an avid binge-watching, investing in a subscription-based service may be the way to go. However, if you only watch occasionally, iTunes is a great pick.

Google Play

Similar to iTunes, Google Play offers content for purchase on a pay-as-you-go basis. Unlike iTunes, the service is available for both Android and iOS users. There is a ton of content available, from classic movies to recent TV shows. You will need to download the Google Play Movies & TV app to your desired device.

However, as it was the case for iTunes, buying entire seasons of TV shows can get expensive. Still, Google Play is a great choice for anyone looking to buy a recently released movie or TV episode. For TV shows, you can also purchase a Season Pass. This ensures you will get access to each new episode as it becomes available.

YouTube Premium

If you are an avid YouTube user, investing in a YouTube Premium subscriptionmakes sense. First off, you get rid of ads. Secondly, you unlock original content by YouTube influencers. Watch creators like Dan and Phil, Rhett & Link, Shay Carl, PewDiePie, Lilly Singh, and more take their creativity to new heights in their most ambitious productions ever including feature-length movies, documentaries and series.

Finally, you can play music and videos even when offline. Not to mention the fact that you can switch to another app on your phone and YouTube will continue to play uninterrupted in the background. Users can purchase a YouTube Premium subscription for $11.99/month. The price includes a Google Play Music subscription as well as a bonus.

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